Have you ever found yourself struggling to keep interest throughout the day? The difficulty of staying focused and motivated when faced with a task is something most of us are far too accustomed to.
We’ve all needed a little boost at some point in our life. You could be a student faced with a rough finals week, an office worker that got a huge load of work dumped on them before the weekend, or have a hobby project you really want to zone in on.
Whatever the case, many people will be in the market for a supplement that can enhance their focus and concentration when they need it most. While Adderall is a popular drug of choice, you need a prescription to obtain it and it can cause adverse side effects.
With that being said, there are a variety of alternatives out there that claim to be just as effective — enter Addall XR.
What Is Addall XR?
Addall XR, which is also referred to as AddFocus XR , is a capsule supplement that claims to help those that are forced to remain focused for long periods of time. It was created off the idea that our brain can receive assistance throughout the day to ensure it’s functioning in tip-top shape.
They knew the long-term complications that come with Adderall, Modafinil, and other prescription drugs available today. They not only wanted to make something that would benefit their need for concentration, without compromising their future health.
They realized that people struggle to focus for two main reasons — not getting the right nutrients in our diet or a hyper-stimulated brain due to the digital age we find ourselves in today. After narrowing down which nutrients work best with these processes, they introduced Addall XR .
Addall XR claims to do three things — increase focus, increase concentration, and increase energy.
- Focus – the ability to zone in on a specific task until completion
- Concentration – the ability to stay zoned in on the larger picture
- Energy – the ability to stay motivated without distraction.
For anyone looking to push through a busy day of work or school, this might sound like the perfect addition to your daily routine. Before you rush into anything, it’s important to make sure you know what you’re putting into your body before you do so.
After all, claims won’t always tell the whole picture and will be mightily deceiving at times.
Breaking Down the Ingredients
When it comes to Addall XR, they don’t utilize as much ingredients as most supplements — which isn’t necessarily a good thing or bad thing. It will all boil down to what those ingredients are, how effective they are, and the dosage used.
To fully understand how good of a supplement Addall XR is, you’ll have to take a look at the ingredients on the label. What you’ll find is the following:
- Thiamin – 15mg
- Riboflavin – 21mg
- Vitamin B6 – 51mg
- Proprietary Blend – 1,413mg
While that might only look like four ingredients, the proprietary blend consists of three different ingredients — caffeine, GABA, and Bacopa Monnieri. While there are a total of six ingredients, that’s still less than most supplements.
Let’s take a look at these ingredients one-by-one to better determine how safe of a product this is.
Thiamin (Vitamin B1)
Thiamine, or thiamin, is a water-soluble vitamin commonly referred to as Vitamin B1 because it was the first B-vitamin discovered. It is an essential vitamin, meaning our body doesn’t produce it. In order to get the required daily amounts, we must consume it in our diet.
Thiamin is found in all cells and tissues. It assists the body in converting food into energy. It will help produce adenosine triphosphate, or ATP, which transports energy from one cell to another.
Recommended Dose: 5-30mg daily
Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)
Riboflavin is another essential water-soluble vitamin that we must consume through our diet daily. It is commonly referred to as Vitamin B2 and will also play a significant role in our body’s ability to convert food into energy.
More specifically, it will help with the breakdown of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. Vitamin B2 will also assist in the production of red blood cells and our ability to utilize oxygen effectively. Your skin and digestive tract can see benefits, as well.
Recommended Dose: 5-30mg daily
Vitamin B6
Vitamin B6 is another one of the B-complex vitamins. It will also be a water-soluble and essential vitamin for our body. Don’t worry, Vitamin B6 will have a fancy name as well — pyridoxine.
Much like the others, it will play a significant role in the metabolism of proteins, carbs, and fats, the creation of red blood cells, and the production of neurotransmitters. It can improve energy, while also elevating your mood.
Recommended Dose: 2.5-25mg daily
Proprietary Blend
The “Proprietary Blend” in Addall XR contains three ingredients — caffeine, Bacopa Monnieri, and GABA. It says the entire dosage for the blend is 1,413mg, but does not give a clear dosage for each individual ingredient.
- Bacopa Monnieri – this is an herb traditionally used in Ayurvedic medicine for its cognitive benefits, mood-enhancing benefits, and antioxidant properties. It’s backed by a lot of science and is a favorite nootropic among researchers. Look for around 300mg daily.
- GABA – also known as gamma aminobutyric acid, GABA is naturally produced by our bodies and acts as a neurotransmitter. When it attaches to a GABA receptor, which is a protein, it will create a calming effect in the body. Look for around 100-200mg daily.
- Caffeine – We all know and love the effects of caffeine. It will stimulate your body and make you more alert about the things happening around you. This awake feeling will have you ready for the day. Look for around 100-150mg daily.
To do a quick summary, Addall XR contains three essential B-complex vitamins including Thiamin, Riboflavin, and Pyridoxine. These all help convert food into energy. It will also contain a powerful cognitive-enhancer in Bacopa Monnieri, a stress-reliever in GABA, and an energy-booster in caffeine.
Dosage, Packaging, & Pricing
As you can see from the ingredient list above, they use six highly effective ingredients that are all backed by science. At the same time, there are a few concerns I have with some of the dosages.
Let’s take another look at those:
- Thiamin – 15mg
- Riboflavin – 21mg
- Vitamin B6 – 51mg
- Proprietary Blend – 1,413mg
It’s important to know that this is the dosage amount for 2 capsules. If you only take one at once, which is suggested, you’ll want to split those numbers in half.
To start off, they provide excellent amounts of Thiamin and Riboflavin that will be safe for those with low or normal levels of those vitamins already. The 51mg of Vitamin B6 is a little concerning and could cause long-term nerve damage.
In addition to that, it’s concerning they don’t list the specific amounts of Bacopa Monnieri, GABA, and caffeine. Even considering the dosages will be split in half, that’s a very large number. If you add up our recommended doses for each, you would come up with around 550mg. Half of their proprietary blend is around 705mg
That means you’re getting too much of something — or too much of everything.
Moving on to the packaging, Addall XR is a little more unique than other supplement companies. Instead of the typical tub or bottle we see everywhere, theirs will come in packs of two capsules. They have a picture of a prescription bottle on the cardboard pack, which gives you the allusion of Adderall — especially with the similar name.
You will have several options when purchasing this supplement:
- 3 packs (6 capsules) for $26.97
- 6 packs (12 capsules) for $51.24
- 12 packs (24 capsules) for $97.09
- 24 packs (48 capsules) for $183.40
You can also get a discount for subscribing to a delivery every so often.
Pros vs. Cons
If you haven’t figured it out by now, there are a wide range of pros and cons that come with purchasing this product. Addall XR utilizes a lot of great ingredients, but there seems to be some concern for each of them.
Pros
- All ingredients are backed by studies
- Bacopa Monnieri is one of the most effective nootropic ingredients on the market
- Vitamins B1, B2, and B6 all play a role in converting food into energy
- Comes in packs of two for convenience when traveling
- Can purchase in various different sizes
Cons
- High levels of Vitamin B6
- Don’t know the dosage for Bacopa Monnieri
- Don’t know the dosage for GABA
- Don’t know the dosage for caffeine
- Not the cheapest Aderall alternative
- Dosage amounts listed are for 2 capsules, not one
Claims vs. Reality
At the beginning of this review, we took a look at what this supplement was claiming to do for consumers. There were three things mentioned — energy, concentration, and focus.
Addall XR definitely takes care of the energy side of things with the caffeine and Vitamins B1, B2, and B6. I’m a little weary on whether they include too much of this, which would largely depend on how much caffeine is involved. Unfortunately, we don’t know that information.
In addition to that, the three vitamins will convert food to energy, meaning it will likely be most effective when combined with a proper diet.
As far as focus and concentration are concerned, Bacopa Monnieri and GABA can certainly get you there. Again, it will largely depend on how much is used. It should also be noted that taking GABA in strong amounts might not have as positive of an effect as a smaller amount.
Makes you wonder why they didn’t just use the typical 250-300mg of Bacopa Monnieri, take out the GABA and replace it with Citicoline or Alpha-GPC, and then keep a safe dose of caffeine (100mg).
Final Verdict
To put this simply: I love the ingredients, but it’s a bummer they don’t list the dosages for the proprietary blend and I do think this supplement is missing a few ingredients that could take it to the next level.
Due to the information we are given, I would recommend only taking one capsule per day — no more. Make sure you eat a normal diet while taking the pills and don’t take it every day. Test it out first to make sure your body is receiving it properly.
